Description
Automated boat launch bollards and a kiosk to collect launch fees were installed at Allan Yorke Park on Lake Tapps in Bonney Lake, Washington.
The system was installed in July 2007 and cost about $86,000. In the first two months, the city collected nearly $25,000; more than 80% of that revenue was from boaters who live outside of Lake Tapps. The city expected to recoup the cost and generate positive revenue in less than two years.
The automated boat launch system was part of a new, higher launch fee passed by the city council. An attendant used to collect the fee to launch and retrieve a boat. Now, boaters pay with their credit card at a kiosk next to the boat launch.
The metal bollards that block the two launch ramps retract to let the boaters back their trailers into the water. Three weight sensors installed in each ramp ensure the bollards stay down until the boaters leave the launch.
Lake Tapps is enjoyed by roughly 2,000 lakeside property owners and an estimated 250,000 recreational users every year.
Gate ID: 816
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